After a simple exchange of clothes, Antanas now looked every bit like an intern prison guard.
"I am ready."
Though Antanas had transformed into a human before, she had never used polymorph magic to take on a disguised persona that she herself could hardly comprehend.
Once they left the prison, she would likely have to flee across the Protos Empire with the utmost caution until they reached the Kingdom of Asethelan and secured aid from the Ice Snow Witch.
After all, Hyperion's identity as a spy for the Kingdom of Asethelan was clear, and their covers were bound to have flaws that might be uncovered at any moment.
Furthermore, the Protos Empire was deeply suspicious and hostile toward the demon race. If they failed to tread lightly upon returning to the surface, they could easily end up locked away again.
Antanas had already made up her mind. Until she met Talia, no matter how long or treacherous the road ahead might be, she would give her all to fulfill the contract she had formed with the two young princesses.
The Poet of Great Love took a Protos Royal Magic Academy student wristband from one of the Domination priests and handed it to Antanas, who was now in human guise.
"Antanas, your new identity is a native of Chinston City in Snowfield Province, Protos Empire. You are a third-year student at the Protos Royal Magic Academy, eligible to apply for graduation once you complete this Herrom Prison Guard Assessment project. When we return to the prison's base floor, you can retrieve your complete set of Protos Empire identification documents from the storage room."
The Poet of Great Love pointed at the black wristband as she explained.
"Understood."
Antanas fastened the wristband and gave a firm nod.
She had never anticipated that her cover would be prepared so thoroughly, though she wondered how long such a forged identity could fool the Protos Empire.
"Afterward, the Protos Royal Magic Academy will specially hire you as a senior professor, working four days a week with three days off. There's also church-related work, but that comes with a separate salary paid independently. For the rest of the time, you can simply explore and familiarize yourself with modern life in the Imperial Capital, Herrom. Can you accept such an arrangement before we leave the Northern Continent?" the Poet of Great Love added.
"..."
Antanas stared at the Poet of Great Love in utter bewilderment.
Why were they living so comfortably in the Protos Empire?
"Won't my fake identity be exposed?" Antanas asked.
"Every bit of it is genuine. Both your household registry and academic records are completely authentic, personally arranged for you by the provincial governor and the academy's headmaster," the Poet of Great Love explained.
"?"
Antanas froze.
It took her a long time to process what she was hearing.
During her time in prison, to what extent had the two young demon princesses infiltrated the Protos Empire? What kind of network and influence did they possess to allow her—a captive great demon—to openly integrate into the Imperial Capital, Herrom, and live a life of comfort and freedom?
What kind of sweet poison was this?
Enjoy it for a while, and then return with them to the Southern Continent to smoothly reunite with Talia?
"Is this truly reality?"
Antanas shook her head, as if trying to confirm she was in the real world rather than under the spell of Gentle Land of the Fallen.
Suddenly, this reality seemed surreal no matter how she looked at it.
"When you are trapped in the Gentle Land of the Fallen, you don't realize you're under an illusion," the Poet of Great Love reminded her helplessly.
Much like realizing one was dreaming, by that point one was usually about to wake up.
"So... this is truly real..."
A flicker of disbelief crossed Antanas's eyes, swiftly followed by burgeoning joy.
A radiant smile gradually spread across her lips, bright enough to illuminate the entire room.
She drew a deep breath, soaking every drop of this newfound happiness deep into her heart.
"Thank you. You are the pride of our demon race. I will do everything in my power to protect you in return for this kindness," Antanas said earnestly to the scions of her old friends.
"..."
Hyperion felt Antanas's inexplicably reverent gaze and found it impossible to deny anything. She merely felt as though her human citizenship had once again been revoked alongside Lanqi's.
She wanted to be a noble human priest, not some chosen demon princess...
"Let's go."
With their conversation in the cell fully settled, Lanqi led Antanas and Hyperion out of the special confinement room.
As they stepped outside, they chatted casually, as though a tacit understanding had already formed between them in that brief exchange.
Outside the door, the other two priests who had been waiting immediately bowed upon seeing them emerge.
Even though the female priest beside them looked completely unchanged on the outside, they both knew that beneath her appearance resided a legendary eighth-tier great demon.
Antanas gave them a nod in acknowledgment.
She understood well enough that these two humans were now their companions—and she could sense that they were completely under the sway of the young princesses.
"Everything is settled. We can proceed to the fifth basement level," the Poet of Great Love said to the two priests, her voice tinged with satisfaction.
"Yes, my lord," the Domination priest replied.
Just as Antanas was preparing to discuss how they should coordinate to traverse the Gentle Land of the Fallen, she saw the black-haired, green-eyed figure step forward without the slightest hesitation or guard.
The others remained where they stood, showing no intention of assisting the Poet of Great Love.
A moment later, the Poet of Great Love regained clarity and took another step forward, triggering the illusion zone over the next massive floor section.
Hyperion and the Domination priests naturally followed along the opened path.
Only Antanas was left staring in utter disbelief—someone was actually ignoring the Gentle Land of the Fallen and blazing a trail straight through it.
"No way... What is that fellow's head made of? This is a Great Demon Trial!" Antanas muttered to herself.
She could not help marveling that this truly was Talia's bloodline.
Yet on second thought, Talia never had that kind of talent. She must have found an extraordinary husband who optimized the lineage.
Antanas grew increasingly curious about what kind of man Talia's partner could be.
Though she still harbored a conditioned wariness toward the corridor environment of the fourth basement level, Antanas quickly grasped the situation and quietly fell into step beside Hyperion.
The group wound through the twisting corridor and finally returned to the exit teleportation hall.
A deep-purple mirrored portal stood at the top of the stairs. Sensing their wristbands, it cast a warped glow accompanied by the crackle of an electric cocoon; clearly, they had satisfied the conditions to proceed to the fifth basement level.
"Everyone, stay on guard. If we get separated in a moment, let's regroup at the exit teleportation hall as best we can," the Poet of Great Love instructed, noticing the hazard warning displayed on the portal.
The spatial fabric of the fifth basement level was unstable. The portal might not deposit them in the entrance teleportation hall; it could drop them anywhere across the fifth floor.
Chapter 416